The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-09-24

ing new lace ne Stroue up to the owner of it and said;
 "Stranger, eh? You'n wan, & guide tomorrow. l suppose. What oan do for you?"
 'rm obliged 10 you," said the stranger frigidly, 'but I have engaged my guide for tomorrow
 What's that: Where did you get him? You couldn't have done ii, sir"
 Did it, nevertheless" said the stranger, turning on his heel.
 Potts then met the doctor, who was joyfully rubbing his hands.
 Guess the corners broken, Chi cago"
 Not if l know it."
 "Everybody seems supplied with guides all the same. have two my self"
 Potts hurried to the office. He found that nineteen had been engaged and that one was at his service. He at once hired that one and said that he would take the other nineteen as soon as their day was out Some had been taken for several days, however, snd all he could do was to secure the re- mainder ot their time up to his own limit of ten days.
 Next morning we all went on our several excursions. The doctor got back before six o'clock and at about the time the diligences arrived from Geneva. He exchanged fifteen spuri- ous guides for the real article, and as the released guides went towards the office he advised each new conner that guides were very scarce and that they had better secure theirs once.
 At six o'clock Potts paid oil his guides again. One citizen of Switzer- land was to him very much the same as another, and as long as q Swiss peas ant had an alpenstock in his hands Potts seemed .o believe he WAS 8 guide.
 Next morning when ]. Humphrey Potts saw all those who had come in the diligences go of toward the gla- ciers with guides, he was simply wild. He now realized that the doctor was on the other side of the market, and that if this thing kept on for another day his corner was gone. He went up to the office and Said that if any more guides came in he wanted them, no matter how many there were. They insisted that in that case he would have to deposit sufficient sum in ad- vance to protec; the office from loss. To use his own expression he put up the necessary margin. When the doe tor heard this he concluded to go into the guide business himself ! here were only few genuine guides in Potts employ, but those he got out in the usual manner by substitute and next evening when the diligcnces ar rived he gave out that if guides could not be had at the office or at the rcgu- lar rates from Potts he would be pie, to supply them at no advance on the usual market price. This broke the corner. Mir. Potts, of Chicago, went to the office and gave up his guides. They insisted that he should pay for the remainder of the ten days, This he refused to do and the boycott was promptly applied to him. The hotels refused to give him shelter and he could not hire anything that would take him out of Chamonix. The near est railway was at Martigny, almost a days journey with a two-horse team. So Mir. Potts had to come to time. He paid up according to contract.
 "Well. old man." said the genial doctor cordially, speculation don't seem to flourish as well in the Alps as it does in Chicago"
 "No, it don't" said Potts sadly. This country is too uncivilized. Now has it done you any good to break the corner? Have you made anything out of it?"
 Not cent" said the doctor
 "Then why should you spend time and money in interfering in what was none of your business?"
 "Well, in the first place it was my business when l found could not get guide except at double the ordinary price. Secondly, hate a monopoly. Thirdly, when man sees corner it is only human nature that if he is not in it he would try to break il, but my fourth reason is the strongest of all"
 And what might that be!' said the Chicago man.
 "l'm from St. LOuis," replied the doctor Detroit Free Press
 Never Fails.